The Story of Bizoe - About
It started
with a kiss.
Helderberg · Cape Winelands
A boutique label by Rikus & Estalet Neethling, dedicated to the quiet practice of letting the grape speak first.
Chapter I
Le vin fait surnager les secrets.
— A French saying
In 2006, curiosity led Rikus Neethling to a charming appellation in the south of France — Piqpoul de Pinet. Based in the village of Pomérols, nestled between vineyards and the étang de Thau lagoon, pub visits were interspersed by locals desperately trying to teach him French. He never returned silver-tongued. But he did return with a single word.
That word was bisous. On his return to South Africa, Rikus bought a ring from his savings and asked his fiancée to marry him. Her answer was sealed with a kiss — and they were married the following year.
And then there was Bizoe — a blend of love and the art of winemaking.
Chapter ii - Of wine and fruit
Two unlikely places that lead to the vine.
Rikus hails from Benoni, in Gauteng — far from the Cape’s mountains and their tapestry of vineyards. Estalet was brought up on a Karoo farm between Nieu Bethesda and Graaf Reinet, equally distant in geography and feel.
But all roads lead to Stellenbosch, where they met as students — Rikus pursuing wine, Estalet accounting. Today, nestled in the Helderberg, they have built a home with their children among the vines.
The Winemaker
Rikus Neethling
His Wife
Estalét Neethling
“Every wine he crafts pays homage to the vineyard site it comes from — unlocking the untapped potential of small, unique pockets of the Cape.”
Chapter III
Where the
fruit comes from.
Each Bizoe wine honours a specific pocket of the Cape — small sites that reward attention and reveal what the land has to say.
Darling
Semillon · Mourve
Cool Atlantic breezes; fruit hemmed with floral and herbaceous tones.
Franschhoek
Semillon
Inland and mountainous; offers a rich palette for the grape.
Breedekloof
Shiraz · Grenache
Towering mountains, deep river valleys, sun-kissed slopes.
Stellenbosch
Syrah · Malbec
A trusted source of consistent quality, especially inky Malbec.
Chapter IV · Inspiration
Three doors that opened
onto the same craft.
Languedoc, France
Pomérols, 2006
Piqpoul de Pinet, between vineyards and the étang de Thau lagoon. Pubs, locals, and the slow patience of southern France.
Rhône, France
A study in Syrah
Where Rikus learned about Syrah’s diverse personality — its viticultural whims, and the many faces of its winemaking.
Hunter Valley, Australia
Semillon, reconsidered
The grape often pushed aside as a workhorse at home — embraced here for the lean, elegant Semillon the Australians made famous.
Chapter V · Philosophy
Less,
but more.
but more.
At Bizoe, minimal interference takes centre stage. We let the wine tell the story of the place. Quantities are always limited — and that is the point.
10
Wines in the range, each with its own voice
6
Cape regions, each chosen for a single grape
∞
Family recipes paired to each bottle
0
Compromise on the quality of the fruit
Bizoe — a little kiss.
